Algae as a Biofuel
Algae is an autotrophic organism that captures carbon dioxide and sunlight and converts it to glucose and oxygen. Fifty percent of its weight is oil, and this oil can be used to produce fuel. Many species can be used to make biofuels, including: Gracilaria, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Chlorella, and Sargassum, which produces ten times the output of Gracilaria.
When creating the biofuel, algae are first deprived of its nutrients to produce and greater yield of oil. The oil is then extracted by a press, which takes out 70-75% of the oil from the algae. The next step is to use solvents that will separate the sugar from the oil, and it is now ready to use.
The United States is greatly dependent on oil. We import most of our oil and have had difficulty to access areas for oil drilling. Offshore drilling has caused many adverse impacts. An example would be the oilrig explosion on April 20, 2010. There were 35,000 to 60,0000 barrels of crude oil spilling from underneath the ocean per day, and have caused an extensive impact on wildlife habitat, water qualities, and industries. This clearly shows how we need to find an alternate solution.
Biofuel that is created from algae has already been applied in the transportation sector. Air New Zealand and Virgin Airlines have conducted trials and the EADS (European Aerospace Company) is set to unveil and engine that runs partially on biofuel made from 100% algae.
Biofuel from algae will help reduce the fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Since algae uses photosynthesis to grow, it absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen. Its high yield will decrease the dependency on fossil fuels, and the biofuel created is biodegradable as well.
The Department of Energy, private industries such as the Algal Biomass Organization, and university research such as the Department of Biological and Agriculture Engineering at the University of Georgia, as well as many others, are all researching this topic. The Department of Energy has set aside $11 million for biofuels technology development, $2.1 to speed innovative ideas into the market, and $5 million for sustainable bioenergy feedstock production.
The people who are opposed may be local residents around algae farms due to the large water consumption as well as aesthetic concerns. Due to its high cost, the government may not support it fully until companies are able to reduce the cost.
The advantages are that algae can produce oils with levels as high as 75 percent of their dry weight. The oil produced can be used to create a wide range of fuels. It is one of the fastest growing “plants” in the world and has an ultra high energy content. It also yields 30 times more energy per acre then palm, its closest competitor. It is also non-toxic. Some disadvantages are that it is expensive and may contaminate local ecosystems. The costs of producing the fuel is that it takes 400-600 dollars to produce one barrel and may take billions to build the infrastructure.
High School for Environmental Studies, New York, United States
